


When There Are Two of Me

by chayron



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-05 01:02:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3099188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chayron/pseuds/chayron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trunks wakes up to find himself in a ward where he has spent two months. He realizes that he has a chance to start his life anew. Which side will he choose and is it really his life after all?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ. I’m not making any money.  
> Warnings: Yaoi (male x male). Trunks x Goten. 
> 
> Summary: This fic is completely independent of my other fics. GT doesn’t exist.  
> It's a mix of a thriller, mystery, detective, drama and soap. Trunks wakes up to find himself in a ward where he has spent two months. He realizes that he has a chance to start his life anew. Which side will he choose and is it really his life after all?
> 
> The credits would go to Achillona for her support, to my brother who doesn’t even know what I’m doing but is a lot of help, and I also want to thank Camaro for being my inspiration and for not writing crap. 
> 
> Note 1: age: Goten 18; Trunks 19.  
> Note 2: started in May, 2006, finished in August, 2006.

**When There Are Two of Me**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 1

Something smelled wonderful. Something so…so wonderfully and indescribable… And yet it was so very familiar. So very affectionate…

The scent was reaching his senses, making him long for something, making him rouse from the land of dreams.

Blue eyes opened. They slowly concentrated on the sight before him. Actually they couldn’t see much. But then they got incredibly wide.

The blue-eyed man shot up in the bed.

“Ayeee!” The ear-piercing shriek echoed in the hospital, making the glasses jingle. The lavender-haired man gasped for air, perplexed. “What are you doing?! Who are you?! You…you…” He stared at the dark-haired guy he had just tossed away from him.

Goten stared back at Trunks from the white-tiled floor.

“You kissed me,” the blue-eyed man said in shock. “You…kissed me,” he repeated in disbelief, looking at stunned Goten. 

“It’s…it’s… Ehh… I… It’s…” Goten tried to regulate his breathing. It took almost a minute for him to finally set his thoughts in order.

The blue-eyed man startled as Goten got up suddenly. 

“Okay…” Goten stopped, not approaching the bed. “Trunks?”

“Uh?” The blue-eyed man blinked. His eyes got wide once again. He quickly lifted the cover. He then lowered it. “Where?” he asked.

Goten wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or was about to faint. Probably both. “It’s your name – Trunks,” he said carefully.

“Huh?” The blue-eyed man looked at him. “Trunks?” He gazed at Goten for some time. “Who are you?” he finally asked. “And where am I?”

“Uhhh…” Goten drawled, hesitating. He wasn’t sure what he should do now. “I’ll phone your mom first, okay?”

“Mom?” The lavender brows crossed in concentration. “My mom…”

With shaking hands, Goten reached into his pocket to draw a blue NOKIA. He found the number.

“Hey, Bulma? It’s Goten. I…” Goten rubbed over his sweating forehead. “I…I don’t know how to tell you… Trunks just woke up.” He gasped and pulled the phone farther from his ear. “Yeah. He’s sitting here and…” He pulled the phone farther from his ear again. “But he… I don’t think that he… There’s one thing…” He sighed and put his phone back into his pocket. “Darn. She hung up.” 

Goten looked back at the lavender-haired man, who had watched him all the time he had been talking on the phone. They stared at each other for about a minute. Black against blue, blue against black.

“Okay…” finally the lavender-haired man drawled. “I’m Trunks. My mother is Bulma. Who are you? Where am I? Why have you been kissing me? And why the hell I can’t remember anything?”

“Uh…” Goten scratched his spiky head. “Just take it easy,” he said, not being sure what or how much he should tell Trunks. “Don’t wanna anything happen to you again. Okay?” The lavender-haired man gave him an annoyed look. That really was Trunks, even if he didn’t remember anything. Trunks could handle everything. Almost.

“I am Goten, your best friend,” Goten chose to ignore that raised brow for now. “You are in a hospital. You got into an accident. You were seriously wounded and had been in coma for almost two months. They didn’t believe you’d ever come round… But I did!” Goten suddenly launched himself to the bed. “I knew you’d! I knew! I knew it!”

The lavender-haired man gazed at the dark back of the head of the guy who was hugging him, crushing him to his body and sobbing his head off. He stayed silently for some time. The scent was very pleasant. Masculine, somewhat sharp and spicy, but pleasant nonetheless. 

“Have we been-?” 

He didn’t finish his question because the next moment a blue-haired woman stormed into the ward.

“Trunks! Oh Gods! Trunks! My baby!” she pushed Goten away and squeezed Trunks in her embrace. “Oh, Trunks…” She didn’t even try stopping the tears from flowing.

‘Your mom,’ Goten mouthed behind Bulma’s back.

Trunks watched Goten wipe his tears away. He mused, then. Probably he was supposed to feel glad, be happy or… True, he was moved to some point; it was nice to know he had people who cared a lot for him. But more than that… He knew only the name of the woman who was suffused with tears and babbling his name hysterically. So he patted her back and said that it was all okay. She had born him after all.

Her scent was very familiar, and he definitely was able to tell that she was his relative. Though…there was something not very clear with the scent. It was the same as with the black-haired guy’s scent – something was off with it. Somehow…too sweet, too…faint.

While patting the woman on her back absentmindedly, he watched the black-haired guy. They gazed at each other eyes until Goten lowered his dark ones. There was a connection between them, too. He could tell that. But he wasn’t very sure what sort of connection it was. Why had Goten been kissing him earlier? Certainly, he hadn’t dreamt that. The guy had kissed him. Had they been lovers? Or had it been only one-sided affection? He hoped it was the latter, for he didn’t want any complications. 

Bulma cupped Trunks’ face in her palms. Laughing with joy, she kissed her son’s eyes and cheeks. She only stopped after noticing Trunks’ passiveness. She was used to Trunks’ passivity during such displays, but she could tell that right now it wasn’t that.

“Trunks, are you okay, baby?” she asked, concern marking her voice clearly.

Trunks shrugged, unsure what to say. Even if she felt like a stranger to him, it felt like a sin to disappoint this woman at this moment.

“He doesn’t remember anything,” Goten said softly from behind their backs.

“What do you mean?” Bulma turned around to look at Goten.

“I mean he doesn’t remember anything. Nothing at all. He doesn’t even know who you…” Goten bit his tongue. “He doesn’t even remember his own name.”

Bulma gazed at Goten for several seconds then slowly turned back to Trunks, who simply nodded, confirming. Bulma was silent for some time.

“Does your head hurt?” she asked then. “Do you feel sick? Is your sight well?” She gave questions to which Trunks answered shaking his head in denial. After that Bulma fell silent again. With a shaky hand she squeezed Trunks fingers. “Okay. Everything is going to be fine.” She smiled tentatively. “Everything is okay. There’s no need to panic. Really. I promise everything will be okay. Don’t you worry…”

“Woman, let go of him. It’s you who’s panicking.”

He turned to look at the man who was leaning on the doorway. So this was his father… This time the scent felt just right – strong and spicy; a completely maturated male. Though, the hair… How the hell was it able to stand like this? Of course, Goten’s to-all-directions-pointing hair made several questions arise, too, but this was just… If his father looked like this, then how did he look himself? Though…despite that crazy hair and quite short height, the man was very attractive. Even in a blue sweat-suit.

Trunks rolled his eyes at Goten, who mouthed: ‘Your father.’ At least his father wasn’t jumping around and making him uncomfortable. Moreover, after the words he said, the blue-haired woman seemed to have finally gathered herself.

“I’m Vegeta, the Prince of All Saiyans,” his father said then.

Trunks rolled the sentence over in his head several times. “What is a Saiyan?” he asked.

“I think we have a problem…” Goten muttered.

XXXXX

Trunks looked at himself in a mirror once again. “I can’t believe I have purple hair,” he sighed, tossing the small mirror further onto the covers. “My mother has blue, my father has black and as a result I have purple? A damn joke.”

“Well… Your granddad has…lavender hair, too,” Goten scratched his head. He couldn’t remember Trunks ever complaining about his hair earlier.

“Say it straight – it’s purple.” Trunks tugged at his hair. “I wonder what it would look like if I dyed it black.”

Goten scratched his head once again. “But purple does suit you…” He blushed faintly.

Trunks gave him a scan. It really did seem that Goten liked him a lot. “Well, I don’t like it. But at least I have nice eyes and it seems that I’m already taller than my father,” he said then.

Goten scratched his chin. “Yeah…” he drawled. “A big plus.” He shifted in his chair. “So when are they going to release you?” He looked at Trunks, who was sitting in the bed under the covers.

Trunks shrugged. “I was told that there are still plenty tests to run.” He paused then. “Well, yeah, as far as I know, it isn’t possible to simply forget some of the things and perfectly remember others. I remember the speech and I can make logical presumptions pretty well. The doctors seem to be somewhat at a loss…” He shrugged again. “But I heard Vegeta, my father,” he corrected himself, “talk to my mother. He said that it was pretty common for Saiyans. He said that when the brain got damaged, it usually restored itself with a new tissue which prevented such things like dementia or disturbances of efferent nerves.” Trunks reached for the mirror again. “And then, for half an hour, he kept talking about some Kakarott who hit his head long ago…” He grimaced at the mirror. “He clearly doesn’t like that Kakarott.”

“Goku is my father,” Goten said. “Only your dad calls him Kakarott. Besides, I wouldn’t be so sure that the hit left Goku’s brain intact…”

“Umm?” Trunks’ brow rose. He sighed at his reflection in the mirror again. “Yeah, Vegeta said something like this, too. He had also said that Kakarott’s muscles substituted his brain.” He looked at Goten questioningly.

Goten sighed. “You’ll see…” 

“Do I have any siblings?” Trunks asked. It didn’t even occur to him that Goten might have gotten insulted after the comment about his father.

Goten shook his head. “No. But you have grandparents from your mother’s side.”

“Nice,” Trunks nodded. “The more, the merrier.” He leaned on the headboard and thought for a moment. “I suppose it’s a waste of time asking what I liked doing or what my favorite hobbies are…” he drawled. “How old am I? Where do we live? Where do my father and mother work? What did I do before the accident and what accident was it?”

Goten blinked. “Well… You’re nineteen. Your mother is the president of Capsule Corporation which is well known globally. Your family is the richest in the world. Your father…uhh…he trains. Like mine does, too.” Goten smiled sheepishly.

“At least no problems with money.” Trunks scratched his chin absentmindedly. “My father… Is he some kind of athlete?” Trunks wondered. He could imagine that – the man seemed to be very fit.

“Ehh…more like a connoisseur of martial arts.”

“Okay… So my father is jobless,” Trunks drawled. “Don’t they, my father and mother, fight because of that?”

“Your mother knew who she was marrying.”

Trunks nodded. “Continue.”

“Well, you live in a big building that is connected with the main labs.” Goten thought what he could say more. “Your mother and grandfather are well-known scientists. Concerning the accident… You and your mom had been testing some device. I don’t know much about it. It was somehow connected with pressure. Something went wrong and the receptacle exploded. A splinter of the container hit you directly on your head.” He fell silent. “As said, it happened two months ago,” he added. 

“I took part in some testing?” Trunks interested. 

“You used to work together with your mother.”

“Hey, if I’m nineteen, I still haven’t finished…” Trunks faltered. “I do study at some university, don’t I?”

“Actually you had only several months until you finish it.” Goten scratched his head sheepishly. “Though, now…”

“How the hell did I manage to do that?” Trunks wondered.

Goten considered his further words carefully. “You are a child of two geniuses. You skipped half of the high-school helping out your mom with her researches and you still had the best marks in all fields. You… Ehhh…” he faltered, not being sure if he should continue. “You…you always had a very logical way of thinking and you used to act quite…unattached. It…it sometimes scares others. You didn’t have many friends.”

“I see,” Trunks nodded. “So you were my best and the only friend?”

“Yeah, this is exactly what I mean… Even now, after not remembering a thing…you are so damn calm,” Goten drawled. “You never get panicky or flustered.”

“You mean I feel less human?” Trunks wondered. “But if I started panicking, you’d panic tenfold. Besides, that wouldn’t change anything.”

Goten silently gazed at Trunks. “So you mean you’re panicking, only not showing that?”

Trunks shrugged. “I’m not panicking, I simply have no idea what I’ll do now.” He brushed over his covers with his fingers absentmindedly.

“You are at a loss…”

“Did you always help me to express my thoughts?”

“Not your thoughts; you can express them pretty well. It’s more about…”

“Feelings?”

Goten blinked. Trunks was really fast. “Yeah. Sorta.”

“And how about you and your family?” Trunks changed the subject. Goten’s face seemed both relieved and disappointed at the same time. That told Trunks everything he didn’t know earlier.

“Well, I’m first year student in Haidago University. It’s…it’s the same university you’re attending. But I’m just finishing the first year and I am in one specialization.”

“Umm? One specialization? Then how many of them did I study?” Trunks wondered.

“Three.”

Trunks blinked. “Wow… I was a pretty clever guy, wasn’t I?”

Goten nodded silently. “This year you’d have gotten diplomas in bioengineering, computer science and mathematics.”

“Damn, that’s pretty good,” Trunks brushed over his hair. He laughed. “I wonder if I remember anything at all from those things.” 

Goten leaned back in his chair. “It’s not a laughing matter.” 

Trunks didn’t say anything to that. “So what about your family?”

“Well, I don’t live with my parents anymore. As said, my father is Goku; the one your father calls Kakarott. My mother is Chichi. And I have an older brother, Gohan, who is already married and has a five-year-old daughter. Otherwise… Right now, I am renting a flat in the city. I used to have a part-time job at a phone company. But after this accident I skipped many days, so they fired me. As I have no money to pay the rent, I suppose it’s only a matter of time when I’ll lose the flat, too.”

Trunks watched Goten. “Did we hang out a lot? You said we were best friends.”

Goten squirmed uncomfortably because of his earlier words. “Well, at least we used to be…three years ago.”

“Hmm? And why is that?”

Goten was silent for some time. “There are several reasons for that. At first you were like your mother, but as years passed you turned out to be more like your father. But… I don’t really want to talk about this.” He turned his head away to the window.

Trunks’ blue eyes followed his look. “Are you gay?” Even if Goten didn’t react visibly, he could feel a wave of coldness and disappointment pass through the ward.

Goten nodded silently.

Trunks decided he didn’t need to know anything else; he already knew more or less what it was all about between them. “Hey,” he called. “Could you bring my textbooks tomorrow, in the evening, after you attend the university?”

Goten looked at him, surprised.

“Well, it’s not that I have anything better to do. And I’m curious if I can remember anything.” Trunks shrugged, choosing not to explain anything more to that searching gaze.

Goten watched him for some time then nodded. “Alright. But your father won’t be very happy if I go to your house to ransack for books. He doesn’t like me.”

“I see… How about telling that I asked you to do that?”

“Ehh…well… It might work,” Goten still faltered. “But on the other hand he might just…”

As predicted, Goten didn’t ask why he didn’t ask his father or mother to bring the books. Goten was pretty clever or simply too desperate.

“Ah. Could you also bring some decent food?” Trunks asked. “Here they are giving some watery porridge.”

“Ehh… I think you should simply eat what you’re given. I mean you haven’t been eating for two months.”

Trunks scrunched his nose. “At least some fruit? Pretty please?”

Goten blinked at him. “Well, okay. And…” he faltered, “well, if you wouldn’t be able to remember anything, then I could ask my brother to help you with your stuff. He works in the same field as you do. Though, I suppose your mother could help you best.” He scratched his head, being a bit unsure.

“Ah… And my dad is an ass who cares only about training?”

Goten was startled. “You remember?”

Trunks burst out laughing. “No, just a simple deduction.”

Goten smiled, too. It was the first time Trunks saw him simply smile. Trunks chuckled again. “Hey, later, if I’m such a genius as you say, you could bring your textbooks, too; you could study, too, and maybe I could help you out. I don’t want you to fail your exams because of me.”

Goten slowly nodded. He stood up then. “Well, I’ll let you rest now. See you tomorrow, then.”

Trunks waved. “See you.” 

XXXXX

The soft sounds of rain were permeating the room. Water flowed down the windows and walls and down to the ground. It had become dark outside; grizzly clouds had gathered in the sky.

Trunks was sitting in his bed and watching the flowing water through the window. He had decided that he was depressed. All day he had been trying to figure out several stupid things such as what he liked to eat or what his favorite color was, but didn’t manage to. But at least now he knew that he hated porridge and hospitals overall.

He quite liked the ward itself: it was spacious, had a big window, next to which was standing a table with a chair. His bed was standing a bit farther from the window and the table. There was a small cabinet next to the bed. There also was a sink in the corner and one wardrobe against one of the walls.

Despite of how he acted or what he told Goten, he felt slightly panicky…probably. Well, he hadn’t lied to Goten, it was that at that time he hadn’t been panicking yet. He wondered if that was a delayed shock or something else, but then decided that he was simply bored and because he didn’t know what he liked doing to occupy himself, he got depressed. Though, that realization didn’t help much – it made him only more depressed.

He was waiting for Goten to come. Truly. Simply wanted for Goten to come faster. Bulma, his mother, came to the hospital in the very morning; his grandparents came at about 10 o’clock; his father snuck in at about noon; Gohan, Goten’s brother, came to see him in the afternoon. All of them… Well, they somewhat annoyed him. His mother, even though she tried to appear calm, seemed on a verge of a nervous breakdown. He was truly sorry for her, but it didn’t stop him from wanting that she’d leave his ward as soon as possible. He simply didn’t know what to tell her and it pained to see the woman like this.

His grandparents… He didn’t think that he liked them. The blonde babbling-nonsense-nonstop woman simply pissed him off and his grandfather had just been sitting and trying to put several words in when he got a chance to use the pause when his crazed wife shut up for a second.

His father… Well, the man said “hello”, sat down, asked how he felt and if he had remembered anything. Then his father kept silent for ten minutes, got up and simply left. Nothing was wrong with that. It was much better than the visits of his mother and the grandparents. But he felt weird while the two of them had been sitting in a cutting silence. He supposed that the weird feeling appeared because his father and he were too similar – they didn’t need words to know what both of them wanted to say. Though, why that made him feel weird…why that made him somewhat uneasy… Maybe it was because that simply made them not interesting to each other.

Goten’s brother smelt nice. The scent was very similar to Goten’s but much stronger. Probably due to his older age. Goten’s brother wore horrible glasses, had a horrible hair-cut and wore horrible clothes. The man smiled nonstop and asked various questions until he realized that the man acted like his doctor and after he asked the man about it, it appeared that Bulma had included Goten’s brother in taking care of him; she thought that familiar people would do him better. He didn’t know how it used to be before, but it seemed that he had an instinct to hate doctors. So he didn’t like Goten’s brother, or at least that what he was doing. 

When Goten came, he was glad to see the guy. 

“Hey.” Goten lowered the huge bags he had been carrying to the white-tiled floor. “Got the books for you.”

“I see.” Trunks nodded, observing the bags. “Sorry, didn’t know I had so many of them; wouldn’t have asked to bring them. How can you lift them at all? Your weight and frame doesn’t seem to…” Trunks wondered.

“Always logical to no end,” Goten rolled his eyes while ransacking one of the bags. “Here.” He tossed a banana to Trunks. Then an apple followed. “I see your reflexes are well,” he said after Trunks swiftly caught both fruits.

“Yeah.” Trunks nodded. “Kinda weird, too… I expected a full rehabilitation program. But it seems I’m perfectly fine.”

“I suppose you should peel that apple off.” Goten pointed at the apple that Trunks was threatening to sink his teeth in. “The skin might be too hard to digest. I can peel it for you,” he suggested.

Trunks shrugged. He looked at the apple. “Okay.” He tossed it back to Goten.

“So which of these fruits I didn’t like earlier?” Trunks asked while Goten was peeling the apple. Trunks wondered if Goten always carried a knife in his pocket.

Goten raised his head. “It would be no fun if I told you now.”

“True,” Trunks chuckled. “But I suppose I used to hate bananas. It stinks.” He sniffed at the yellow fruit. “It reminds… soap?”

Goten laughed. “Yeah, you never ate them.”

“Hey, Trunks.” Gohan entered the ward, a needle in his hand. “I need…”

Goten hid the apple and knife behind his back. Trunks stuck the banana under the covers. 

“Oh, Goten. Hey,” Gohan greeted his brother. “What’s that?” He looked at two bags on the floor.

“Books,” Goten said. “Trunks said he wanted to see if he could remember anything.”

“Ah.” Gohan nodded. “Don’t overstrain yourself,” he said to Trunks. “I think I told you not to eat anything else except what you’re given?”

“But I am given this…”

“Smartass.” Gohan rolled his eyes. “Okay, eat that apple but nothing else.” He pointed at Goten, who sighed and pulled his hands from behind his back.

“Your glasses are horrible. You are an attractive man. Why don’t you buy something nice?” Trunks wondered, taking the apple from Goten.

“It’s about the sixth time you’re telling me this. Some things never change,” Gohan said, coming over to Trunks’ bed. “Give me your arm. I need a blood sample.”

Trunks frowned. “I’m really fine. I hate being stabbed.”

“It’s just for your own good.” Gohan inserted the needle into the vein.

“More likely for my mother’s.”

“Don’t be such a prick.” Goten plopped down onto the chair. He snorted. “Sure a mother would do everything what’s in her power to help her son.” 

Trunks wanted to say something, but then closed his mouth. After Goten’s words, the face of Goten’s brother had drained from color. In addition to that, Goten’s words were filled with anger and wrong.

“How is dad doing?” Goten asked.

“Ehh…” Gohan drew the needle out. “He said he was going to pay a visit to Trunks.” He disinfected the sting then pressed a roll of cotton to Trunks’ arm. “He’s fine. I…” he mumbled, unsure.

Goten looked at his brother. “It’s okay, I’ll visit him one of these days.” 

While eating the apple Trunks silently listened to the strange conversation. He was glad his coma had ended. The world seemed to be an interesting playground.

TBC


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ. I’m not making any money.  
> Warnings: Yaoi (male x male). Trunks x Goten. 
> 
> Note: age: Goten 18; Trunks 19.

**When There Are Two of Me**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 2

Trunks’ blue eyes followed Gohan’s back until he closed the door behind him. Then he threw the core of the apple he had eaten into the bin. 

“So, will you pass some books to me?” he asked Goten.

Goten stood up from his chair and went to the first bag. “Here.” He held out the first book he saw.

“Hmm…” Trunks looked at a diagram in the middle of the book. He turned the book over then turned it over again. “What the hell is this? Looks like a snake that has just mopped a mouse.”

Goten paled visibly.

Trunks laughed. “Kidding.” He turned the pages back. “I think it looks familiar. Or at least know what it is about.” He turned the leaves further. “Ah, now that’s pretty interesting…” His eyes quickly scanned the page. He turned the page over. “I thought Rabikov proved it wasn’t possible…” he muttered while reading further. “Hey, what an asshole. The data is all wrong!” he snorted at the page after reading it. “Oh…” Trunks blinked. He turned to Goten who was closely watching him. “I suppose I do remember the stuff.”

Goten exhaled in relief. “Good, then.”

Trunks quickly leafed over the book. “I just need a short revision.” He put the book back onto the covers. “But that guy needs a serious ass kicking for writing that nonsense.” He looked at the book again. “I suppose this means that I’d be able to help you out with your studies.”

“I don’t actually imagine how you’d do that,” Goten sighed. “I need to read the books first.”

“Well, we could share them in half. I could read one half and then simply tell what you need to know. I think that’s much easier.”

“Listen, forget that. If you feel well enough to learn, then think about how you are going to write three graduation dissertations.”

“Oh.” Trunks blinked. “Forgot that one. I think you said I have several months left?”

“You have one month to hand them in and then one month of bureaucracy.”

“Ah… Nice…” Trunks scratched his chin. “Then I suppose I should get started.” He thought for a moment. “But I don’t really remember what I was supposed to write about.”

“That’s easy to check. I’ll just ask your leading professors.”

Trunks watched him for some time. “And how do you yourself do in that department?”

“I’ll just have several exams to pass.”

“Are you sure you’re going to pass them?”

“No. Very likely I’ll screw up. I skipped many lectures. In both semesters and the students don’t really know me, so I won’t get any notebooks.”

“Then why don’t you follow your own advice and ask your brother to help you?”

Goten didn’t say anything to that.

“It seemed your brother and you are close enough for you to be able to ask such a favor…”

Goten kept silent.

“Okay,” Trunks sighed. “What do you think, will my mother agree to bring a laptop here? The faster I write that stuff, the faster I can help you.”

“Why the hell did you turn so nice suddenly?” Goten snorted, angered. “I don’t need your damn help!”

Trunks looked at him. “Well, currently you’re the only person I find interesting and pleasant to interact with. I suppose it’s only natural that I want to help you,” he said calmly.

“You and your fucking logic!” Goten suddenly jumped off the chair, hissing. “How I fucking hate that!”

“It’s a part of me. You yourself said that.”

Goten gazed at Trunks for some time silently. “Yeah, what a fucking pity.” He walked over to the door. “Have a nice evening!” He slammed it shut behind him.

Trunks sighed, took the book back in his hands, reached out for a switch to turn the light on and continued reading the book. He was positive that Goten would be back tomorrow.

XXXXX

The day was beautiful outside. The sun was shining, the grass, that had just recently started growing, was brightly green. Closing his eyes, he tilted his face to the warming light; his ward was in the dark side of the building, so he didn’t get much sun.

He was glad he had decided to look around in the hospital. It was the first time he went farther than the bathroom but it didn’t seem that he would have any problems with his legs or body overall. That really bugged him, for it wasn’t logical at all.

The hospital wasn’t big. It seemed it was a private one, for he had seen only several people and they were dressed pretty well. He too had a quite expensive robe on. Though, he hated the slippers – they were black. 

While looking at his reflection on the window, he thought about cutting his hair shorter; they must have grown that long in those two months he was in coma. He was handsome. He had regular features, quite full lips and nice blue eyes. He had the looks of his father, except his blue eyes. The only thing he didn’t like was his hair-color.

“Trunks?”

Trunks turned around to look at an annoyed Gohan.

“Next time tell someone that you’re going for a walk, okay? I don’t care if you’re roaming around in the hospital, but Bulma almost had a heart attack after not finding you in your ward.”

Trunks cocked his head to his left shoulder. “Why is she worried?” he wondered. “Does that woman have one of those weird ‘my-baby-son’ complexes?”

“I’d slap you right now,” Gohan snorted, “but I know that it would be a waste of time. She has been sitting at your side for those two months while you were in coma, and you dare ask why she is worried!”

“Hey, I’m sure you are right.” Trunks turned back to the window and to his reflection he had been looking at. “But it was just a simple question. You do understand that I know nothing of the people who surround me?”

“For you it’s always simple questions or simple remarks. You never think of how they affect others.”

“So you want me to keep silent or lie?”

“Yes, like all humans do.”

Trunks turned around, smirking. “And you do know a lot about that, don’t you? Trying to adapt all the time…” 

Gohan stepped back in surprise. Trunks followed him.

“You strike me as an overly scared person.” Trunks grinned. “Those disgusting-masking clothes and glasses… What are you hiding, Goten’s brother? Would it be that ‘Saiyan-thing’ everybody hides from me?”

By this time Gohan had become very uncomfortable.

Surprised, suddenly Trunks stepped away from Gohan. He knew he had hit the right button, but after seeing Gohan’s reaction it hardly gave any satisfaction. “It seems I went too far. I’m sorry,” he apologized. He turned around and started walking back to the side he knew his ward was. Gohan didn’t follow him. And that meant he had really gotten under Gohan’s skin. 

Trunks shook his head, sighing.

XXXXX

Trunks raised his head at a knock on his door. After several seconds Goten’s spiky head appeared in the doorway.

Trunks smiled. “Hey, I have been waiting for you.” 

Goten mumbled something for greeting. He approached the bed and held out a small note for Trunks, who was sitting in the bed with his legs crossed, white sweatpants sticking out from under the robe. Trunks had asked for something more decent than a robe to wear but his requests had been ignored. Then he stole the sweatpants from the staffroom. 

“Ah.” Trunks smiled again after reading what was written on it. “The themes. Thanks.” He took the paper from Goten.

Goten noticed a black laptop on Trunks’ lap. Trunks eyes followed his.

“Oh, my mother brought it. It seems it was mine. I found the themes and everything here. It appears I already have one graduation dissertation done. The themes are very interesting. I suppose I was kind of a guy who liked doing things in advance.”

“Hm.” Goten went to sit on the chair at the window. “You truly were.” He leaned his elbows on a small table next to him.

“But thanks for your efforts anyway.” Trunks waved the paper in the air.

Goten’s searching gaze passed Trunks.

“I’m not making fun of you,” Trunks said. “I have already had some weird happening with your brother. I think I scared him.”

“And what have I been telling to you?” Goten rolled his eyes. “That’s why people run away from you – think first then talk.”

“Your brother said the same,” Trunks wondered. “Hey,” he grinned, “I’ll really be able to help with your studies. I have one done and, while waiting for you, I have read several books and thought of what I’ll be writing.”

Goten crossed his arms.

Trunks frowned. “What now? Don’t tell me you have always been jealous because of his abilities?”

Goten looked at him in shock. This was the first time Trunks had called his other self another person. Actually, it had never occurred to Goten that they were completely different people. Trunks had always been Trunks. And, even if now he didn’t remember anything, he still was Trunks. Used to be…

“Ehh…” Goten drawled, trying to reorient himself in a new situation he found himself in. “Not really. It just pissed me off that he always had been looking at me like at some lost puppy.” He leaned his heavy head on his palms.

Trunks gave him a searching look. “Poor stupid Goten… Let’s all help him organize his life.”

Goten was startled. He raised his head at Trunks. “Yeah, and I especially hated when he did that. Sometimes it seems you can read minds.”

“Maybe I can?” Trunks grinned. He had decided that it was enough for today – Goten seemed to need some time to get used to the situation. He wondered shortly then – so why did people think that he was inconsiderate towards others?

Goten rolled his eyes. “If he could, he would have killed me at least five times for the thoughts I had about…” he suddenly fell silent, catching himself. “Eh, ehm…” He blushed fiercely.

Trunks only laughed. “So, will you let me help you?” he asked then.

Goten watched him for some time then nodded slowly. He wasn’t even sure why he did that. His chin had probably slipped on his sweaty palm. What was he getting himself into? He didn’t even know this guy he was talking to. And it was only worse that he was so similar to the Trunks he used to know. Trunks’ personality had never been easy to handle. This one might be simply laughing and calling him an idiot behind those sincere blue eyes. Sometimes something used to whirr in Trunks’ head and he would get bored with his logical thinking and then he would look for amusement at others’ expense.

Though, Trunks had never really tricked or played him; even after they had unpleasantly drifted apart, Trunks seemed to remember that they had been best friends once.

“Have a pen?”

Goten snapped out from his thoughts. “Uh… Yeah.” He nodded, reaching into his pocket. He held out the pen for Trunks. He watched Trunks scribble something on the paper.

“Ah dammit!” Trunks cursed after the pen snapped in two. “The fourth pen already this day! What the hell is wrong with them?! Ah! Dammit! Dammit!” he shrieked after black ink spilled on his white sweatpants. “How will I return them now?!” he yelled, keeping the broken pen out of him and over the floor. “Ah! And I broke your pen!” he added as an afterthought. “Dammit!”

Goten watched Trunks, who was flouncing about in the bed between the white covers that now were dotted with black. He cracked a smile. “I have never seen you get so excited over something so stupid…”

“I fucking stole these sweatpants,” Trunks whispered. “The whole day I was so carefully trying not to mess them up and now I have ink all over my crotch. How exciting is that?”

Goten burst out laughing. “Give me that.” Laughing, he reached for the pen. “I will throw it away.” 

“Doesn’t matter, it got all dirty anyway. No need to get you into my misery.” Trunks scowled, getting up from the bed. Keeping the broken pen a meter away from him, he carried it to the bin, threw it away then went to the sink to wash his hands.

“Ah! My fucking God!”

With the entire chair, Goten whirled around to look at what had happened.

“Ah!” Trunks panicked while a stream of water was flowing on him. “And I broke the fucking tap!” he screamed at the tap in his palm. “Ah!” He tossed the tap to the ground and tried to cover the hole with his hands then ran to the bed to grab one of the covers. “Get someone! I don’t know how to fix taps!” He covered the spray with the cover to stop it from spraying up and to get water flowing down the drain. “Ah! Dammit! There’s too much water! It will flow over! Get someone!” He turned around to look at Goten, who hadn’t moved from the place. “Why are you still sitting there?! Get someone!”

From his safe place, Goten grinned widely at drenched Trunks, who was trying to stop the water. Trunks’ hair was all wet, clinging to his forehead and neck while he was flouncing around the sink.

“Have never seen anything so hilarious!” Goten started laughing his head off. “You look like a…like a… But this is…hahahahaha!” 

Trunks blinked at Goten. Then he looked around. The next second Goten yelped and jumped out of his chair. Trunks grinned and waved an again filled mug at him. “Haven’t you ever been told that it’s not nice to laugh at other people’s misfortune?”

“Aiiiii!” Goten ran to avoid the oncoming stream. Trunks missed but immediately filled his mug in the overflowing sink again. 

“Help! Help! Someone!” Goten was laughing his head off while Trunks was chasing him all over the ward. “Shit!” he cursed as he slipped on the wet floor and landed on his backside. Immediately, the mug was emptied on his head. “Hey!” He tried to take the mug away from smirking Trunks. “Ahh!” He leapt over Trunks’ bed to avoid the oncoming stream.

“Hey, stop! Dammit! I’ve spilled it all over my bed! How will I sleep now?!”

“Your own fault!” Goten laughed.

Trunks ran back to the sink to refill his mug.

XXXXX

When Gohan entered the ward, his first thought was that he must be hallucinating. He had worked pretty hard and long in these several days, so he decided that that must be it – he was having visions. There could be no way that Goten and Trunks were sitting in a puddle of water all soaking wet, laughing their heads off while the water from the broken sink was spraying everywhere.

Goten. He hadn’t heard Goten laughing like this since Goten was a kid. After that fall out with Trunks, Goten hardly smiled at all. He couldn’t believe that the same person that took Goten’s smiles away was making him laugh like this.

“Oh, your brother…” Trunks laughed after he noticed Gohan who was still standing in the doorway. 

Goten couldn’t stop laughing either. “Uh-huh…hahahahaha…”

Gohan glared at the two. “What the hell happened here?” 

“Hahahaha… He broke the tap! Just snapped it off! Hahahaha…” Goten roared with laughter. “I think you’ll have some…hahahaha…some explanation to do…hahahaha,” he laughed. “And my pen, too!” 

Gohan gazed at his hardly coherent brother then his eyes crossed with Trunks’, who was no longer laughing but was watching him in return. There was a lopsided smile on Trunks’ face. It wasn’t a smirk, it was a smile, but there was something…

“Did you break into the storage room and got some laughing-gas?” Gohan asked Trunks while glaring. Though, he knew it wasn’t the case. He just didn’t like that smile on Trunks’ face.

After his question Trunks’ smile widened. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Goten’s brother?” His blue eyes looked into the dark ones.

Gohan felt his breathing hitch. “My name is Gohan,” he said then.

Trunks’ smile just widened even more. “I know that. The thing I don’t know is why I broke the tap that is made from sturdy steel. I think you could help me out here…”

Goten’s laughter had quieted by this time. Confused, his eyes wandered from Trunks to Gohan and then back. He was almost able to grasp the tension. 

Trunks abruptly stood up. “I’ll get someone to finally fix this.”

Gohan caught himself before he could have jumped away from Trunks. “The plumber is on the ground floor, take the corridor to your right after you climb down the stairs,” he muttered. 

“Okay.” Trunks nodded while passing Gohan. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, smiling.

Gohan watched Trunks close the door then turned to Goten. “What the hell have you two been doing here?”

Goten shrugged. “I said – he broke the tap.” He finally got up from the floor. “Hell… Look at me…” He brushed over his wet clothes. “How will I come back?” Then he grinned. Before Gohan could react, Goten flared to Super Saiyan.

Gohan’s eyes widened. “What the hell are you doing?! The least thing we need is for others to think you got attacked and show up!”

Goten shrugged. “They won’t. After checking my ki they will find that yours is nearby and stays low.” He ruffled through his blond hair. “And when are you going to tell him about all that Saiyan stuff? I think there’s more damage by not telling than telling. He is getting confused and suspicious.”

“Confused…” Gohan felt the urge to snicker. “He’s not getting confused. I suspect he already knows some of the things or will notice them soon. It’s true that he might accidentally do something while miscalculating his power but I think it were more dangerous if he knew what power he possesses.” 

“Dangerous?” Goten gave him a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

Gohan was silent for several seconds. “He was always a bit weird, but… Something’s funny about him. I’m not very sure what but…” he faltered.

“Ah, leave him alone. I wonder how you’d feel after waking up hell knows where and having no idea of who you are.” Suddenly Goten chuckled. “But Bulma is underestimating him. Several more days and he’ll know all about who he’s for real. She doesn’t really know much about him, but believe me - he gets the hang of things incredibly fast. She won’t catch up with him. If Bulma thinks she can keep him in this ward until her dearest Trunks is back, she’s very wrong. Trunks has never been a person one could play with.”

Gohan didn’t say anything to that; he knew perfectly well that it was true. He looked at the spraying sink where the water started lessening then stopped spraying at all; someone shut the water off. “You sure flooded the ward underneath.”

Already dry, Goten powered down. “You should have seen how he has been flouncing around that sink.” He grinned. “I have never seen him so excited.” 

From the corner of his eye, Gohan watched his younger brother. He didn’t think it was a very good idea for Goten to spend so much time with Trunks. “He’s not the Trunks you knew,” he said carefully.

Goten looked at him. “I’m not sure which one I like better,” he said softly.

Gohan almost groaned. He had to stop Goten from seeing Trunks; he had to stop that before it was too late.

They both turned around after Trunks had entered the ward. A man dressed in bright blue pushed past Trunks and went to the sink. The man got confused after seeing the tap on the floor.

“It must have been completely rusted,” Trunks said from above the man, who had squatted down to observe the tap that looked like it would have simply been ripped off. There were deep fingerprints on the steel.

“I don’t think so…” The plumber turned the tap over in his hands several times.

Trunks smiled. “Neither do I.” He looked at Gohan. “But this is the only one logical explanation, isn’t it?” he said while undressing his wet robe. He tossed it on the same chair at the window.

The brothers chose to remain silent.

Bare-chested Trunks suddenly lost all interest in the tap and the brothers. “Oh,” he grinned happily. “At least I got the ink washed out!” he said after looking at his white but still wet pants. “It means it was very lame ink.”

Gohan looked at the pants closely. “I have already seen them somewhere before.”

“Yes, you have,” Trunks nodded. “I stole them from one of your colleagues. But if you don’t want that I’d be running around naked in the hospital, you should get me some dry clothes.”

Gohan realized that Trunks was pretty serious. “Okay,” he sighed. He turned to the door.

After Gohan left, Trunks observed Goten. Goten was completely dry. That bothered him, for that wasn’t logical at all. But, because it was Goten, he didn’t ask anything.

Trunks sat down on the floor and motioned for Goten to sit down on the chair. “Toss it somewhere,” he said after seeing his soaked robe in Goten’s hand.

Goten hung up the robe on the windowsill and sat down. Silently, they watched the working plumber. 

“What do you think? Is my mother very upset that I’m not that Trunks she used to see?” Trunks asked.

Goten was taken a back a bit by the sudden question. “Uhh… Dunno… He finally nodded. Yeah. I think she will try everything to bring him back.”

“Are we so different?” Trunks wondered. “Actually I think that your reaction to me is quite normal. I would even say that you don’t see a big difference. I mean you didn’t freak out after realizing I don’t remember a thing.”

Goten was silent for some time. “You see, the thing is that your mom doesn’t really… You acted a bit different with her. You talked much and smiled a lot while with her. That was all pretended and now she feels distanced when you don’t give her as much attention as you used to give.”

“Why would I pretend I like to be near her if I don’t?” Trunks wondered. But he had already noticed that for some reason he couldn’t refuse or say anything to Bulma’s face that he felt she wouldn’t like.

“Maybe because she’s your mother?” Goten rolled his eyes. “You were quite closed and cold, but when it came down to such things, you did your best not to upset people that loved and took care of you.”

Trunks looked at Goten. “You do know many things about him.” 

“We spent our entire childhood together. We have been best buddies for a long time,” Goten said. “Together we went through hell and back.” He fell silent then. 

“You kissed him,” Trunks said softly after a pause.

Goten flushed all scarlet. He threw a glare at Trunks. “How was I supposed to know that you are like a damn Sleeping Beauty?!”

Trunks laughed loudly. “But it was nice to wake up to that.” He winked at a stunned Goten. “Even if I didn’t get what was going on at first. Oh, your brother.” Trunks quickly stood up and went to Gohan, who just entered the ward with a bundle of clothes in his arms.

“Well, it’s everything I have managed to find.” Gohan held out the clothes for Trunks.

“Thanks.” Trunks nodded, taking the bundle. He went to the bed to ransack it. “I suppose you wanted something,” he said to Gohan.

“Ah, yeah,” Gohan nodded. “I need another blood sample.”

“What the hell are you doing with my blood?” Trunks raised a blue shirt in the air to look at it. “It’s only the third day now I’m up and it would already make about half a liter. Besides, how do you expect to see any changes so fast?”

Gohan watched Trunks looking through the clothes and suddenly realized that Trunks had just plainly refused to give any blood. A bit flustered, he looked at Goten, who just shrugged.

“I need some answers,” Trunks told Gohan. “I don’t think it’s very fair that you know everything, and I know nothing.”

“Your mother…”

Trunks’ blue eyes flashed dangerously. “Don’t try manipulating me, Goten’s brother. I do know I might be hurting her, but there’s a line between being nice and being a fool.”

XXXXX

Trunks was leaning on the windowsill in his ward and looking out of the window. He was watching Goten pass through the gates that led out of the hospital. Trunks was smiling.

The idea of trying out his strength on the tap was a damn good one – even if he didn’t expect he’d manage to really break it, in the end he made Goten like him and finally got normal clothes and with that he would finally be able to leave the hospital.

TBC


	3. Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ. I’m not making any money.  
> Warnings: Yaoi (male x male). Trunks x Goten.   
> Summary: This fic is completely independent of my other fics. GT doesn’t exist.
> 
> Note: age: Goten 18; Trunks 19.

**When There Are Two of Me**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 3

Goten knocked on Trunks’ door. After Trunks’ cheerful voice let him enter, he opened the room’s door. 

“Hey, I brought some edible stuff for…” Goten’s eyes widened. The bag he was carrying fell to the ground. He stared at Trunks for several seconds. “What the hell did you do to your hair?”

“Looks much better, don’t you think?” Trunks whirled around while grinning happily.

“It’s black.”

“Yeah, I know,” Trunks grinned. “I like it.”

Goten scratched his spiky head. “Well, it seems quite nice…I suppose.” He leaned down to pick up the bag from the floor. “Have your parents seen that yet?” He carried it to the table and started taking the goods out.

“Nah,” Trunks chuckled.

“I think that hit messed your head up more than we thought,” Goten sighed while putting a bag with apples on the table. “You have never complained about your hair earlier.” He put several packs of yoghurt on the table next to the apples.

“Hey, gimme a break,” Trunks said, brushing over his hair with his both hands. “It’s only natural that a person born with such hair gets used to it, but I just saw it. And I didn’t like it.”

Goten stopped what he was doing and took in Trunks once again. “Hmm… You remind me of Seventeen now. Yeah, quite the picture,” Goten nodded. “I always thought that if you dyed your hair black, you’d look like your father, but it seems for some reason you look more like Seventeen.” He folded the empty bag and put it back into his pocket that all puffed out.

“What’s Seventeen?” Trunks asked, plopping on the bed.

“An andr… An acquaintance of ours.”

“Andr…andr…” Trunks drawled. Then he snapped his fingers. “An android, isn’t it?” He laughed at Goten’s surprised face. “I know who he is. I have found several very interesting files in my laptop. I don’t know what he looks like but I have a whole list of his abilities.” His face got serious. “Don’t you think he and his sister are too dangerous to simply let them walk around?”

Goten shrugged. “They have lived among us for quite some time now, and nothing has happened. Besides, Eighteen is Krillin’s wife and the mother of his daughter. Try telling him that his wife should be locked up for good…”

“Well, that’s interesting,” Trunks’ eyes sparkled enthusiastically. “They even are fertile!” He shook his head. “I’m not saying to lock them up. But I wouldn’t like to die after meeting one of them.”

Goten watched Trunks for some time. “Drop it, Trunks. I know you well enough to tell when you’re playing games. First, you pretend not to know who I’m talking about, and then you try to get me talking.”

Trunks pouted. He reached for a mug with his tea. “But I’m so curious…” He took the teaspoon out of it. “I don’t think anyone could do this…” He bent over the spoon several times. “Or that…” He pressed the spoon between his palms and rolled it between then to make a small ball. Then he put the ball on the table, against Goten’s nose. “I know you can do that, too. And your brother and my father… The ones who smell different... They aren’t Human, are they?” He looked at Goten.

Goten nodded. “You always had a good nose.” He sighed while looking at Trunks’ black hair, “Where the hell did you get the dye from?”

Forgetting all about the conversation, Trunks grinned. “I went shopping. Here,” he jumped off the bed, turned around and pulled the bed off the wall, “look.”

Goten approached the bed and looked behind it. Several packs of hair-dye, jeans, T-shirts, a jacket, several porn magazines and a pair of shoes. Goten blinked; the porn was both guys and girls.

“Who gave you the money for this?” Goten asked.

“My grandma.” Trunks grinned while pushing the bed back into its place. “She told me to buy some ice-cream for myself. I bought some for you, though.” Suddenly, Trunks held out a pack of ice-cream for Goten.

Goten chuckled. “Thanks.” He took the box. He looked around. “But it seems you’ve mutilated the only spoon you had.”

“Ummm…” Trunks brushed over his black hair. “How inconsiderate of me.”

Goten’s right brow rose at a mischievous grin on Trunks’ face. Had Trunks been expecting him to eat it with his fingers?

Suddenly, Trunks burst out laughing. “No, but you should see your face!” He quickly stood up from the bed. “Wait, I’ll get a spoon.” He shot through the door, leaving a dumbfounded Goten. 

After the door closed behind Trunks’ back, Goten puzzled his head over what the hell it was, then decided not to bother and went to sit down at the table. Once seated, he observed the plastic box of vanilla ice-cream. It wasn’t his favorite. His favorite was caramel, but he supposed that Trunks couldn’t remember that. But vanilla ice-cream was his second favorite, so it wasn’t bad.

Goten looked through the window at the gates that led out of the hospital. Trunks wasn’t going to sit in this ward anymore. Trunks had a tendency to get bored easily. As far as he could see, Trunks was on the brink of leaving the hospital. He doubted that any of the staff or even Bulma knew that Trunks had been roaming in the city.

Goten leaned his head on his palms and groaned, “How does one deal with an amnesiac that doesn’t know his own strength and is a genius to boot?”

“Talking about me?” Trunks stuck his dark-haired head into the ward, grinning. He closed the door behind him.

Goten startled. “Y-yeah,” he muttered since it was no use denying it.

“Got the spoons!” Not concerned in the least, Trunks raised two spoons proudly into the air. He held out one for Goten to take. “I hope you’ll like it. I don’t really know what you like, so took the one I liked most after tasting.”

“You tasted them all?” Goten wondered while opening the plastic box.

Trunks nodded. “Uh-huh. I found a shop where they were selling ice-cups and bough several of them. For some reason, I don’t remember anything about what the food tastes like.” He plopped on the end of the bed, near the table and chair where Goten was sitting.

“Well, vanilla has always been your favorite,” Goten chuckled softly, putting the open box on the table. “So you really went to buy ice-cream like your grandmother told you?” he laughed.

“Yeah,” Trunks nodded. “I could remember the food but couldn’t remember the taste and got very curious.” He looked at the box. “Well, it’s a bit melted, but I hope you don’t mind?”

Goten shook his head. “Nah, it’s okay. I like it this way.” He scooped some ice-cream with his spoon.

“Goten?”

“Umm?” Goten asked around the spoon. 

“I wanted to thank you,” Trunks said while looking at him. “You have done so much for me. You got me the themes, you always bring me some food and I like your company very much.”

“Hmm…” Goten took another scoop. “Well, this is what friends do for each other.”

Trunks was silent for some time then took another spoon and scooped some ice-cream, too. “I’m sorry he was such a fucked up friend.”

Goten swallowed around his spoon. He sighed. “You don’t really know anything about what happened between us. You shouldn’t talk what you know nothing about.”

Trunks nodded. “That’s true. But I know what I see – he hurt you.”

Goten’s tongue flicked over the spoon, savoring the taste. “That’s between us. You have nothing to do with that.”

Trunks didn’t answer anything to that. He spooned some ice-cream silently. “And what is your favorite, then?”

At first, Goten didn’t understand what Trunks was talking about. “Ah,” he chuckled. “Caramel.”

“Umm…” Trunks thought a moment. “Yeah, I liked it, too.”

XXXXX

“Trunks?” Gohan stuck his head into the ward. “There’s someone who wants to see you,” he said after Trunks raised his head at him from his laptop. “What in the world?!” Gohan gasped. “What did you do to your hair? Bulma will kill me!”

“Goten’s father?” Trunks asked, ignoring him. For quite some time he had been wondering when Goten’s father would keep his promise and come to see him. After several comments he heard, he was very curious to see what Goten’s father was like.

Gohan glared at him after recovering. “No. It’s one of your buddies from University. And my father has a name – Goku!”

“I know that. I also know that my father calls him Kakarott,” Trunks nodded, not really paying attention. “A friend?” he wondered. Then he grinned, eager. “Send that friend in.” 

Trunks observed the guy who entered his ward. He was tall and thin. With hair to his shoulders. Had green small eyes and also had a big smile on his face. The smile felt completely artificial. The man was from 21 to 23 years old. Keeping in mind that they probably were in the same course, the man most likely was 22 years old. The guy’s scent was mild and there was something off with it, like with the most people’s scent. The guy was staring at his black hair.

“Hey.” 

The guy nodded after he finally managed to peel his eyes off his hair. “Hey. Heard you felt better, so decided to visit you.”

“Yeah, the coma has ended,” Trunks agreed. He motioned for the guy to take the chair.

The man fidgeted. “Umm… I heard you don’t really remember anything.” His searching eyes slid over Trunks.

Trunks shrugged. “Yeah. So it would be nice to hear your name…?” He smiled at the guy.

“Oh, oh…” The man flustered. “Sorry. I’m Kiore.”

So this one was the one he had been waiting for to come. Trunks nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Kiore nodded, unsure. “Well, I just came in case you needed some help or anything.”

Trunks smiled. “That’s very nice of you. Thanks, but everything is okay.”

Kiore started fidgeting with a big golden ring on his finger. He started rolling it around. He obviously wanted to get to the point. “And how about your graduation dissertations? I suppose it’s a lost cause if you don’t remember anything?”

Trunks’ blue eyes concentrated on him. “What dissertations?” he asked in a confused tone.

“The ones you have to write to graduate the University.” Kiore looked at Trunks, seemingly quite worried. “You have to write three of them. And…”

A scared expression passed through Trunks’ face. “Oh. Uhh… I don’t know anything about that. My mom didn’t say anything about any dissertations,” wide-eyed, he said to Kiore. Suddenly, Trunks’ facial features came back to normal. “Want an apple?” he suggested cheerfully while taking one from the table and taking a good bite of it.

Kiore blinked. “Thanks, but no.” He fidgeted for some time with his golden ring while watching black-haired Trunks eating his apple. Obviously, he wanted to ask him about it, was nearly dying with want. “What did you dye your hair for?”

“I was bored,” Trunks chewed out. The apple was good.

“Clear.” Kiore scratched his head, lost. “Anyway, there’s one thing that I wanted to ask you…”

“Umm?” Trunks took another bite. Ah, finally, the interesting part. He decided to help the guy: “I suppose you’re talking about that dissertation about cloning that Trunks wrote for you?” His eyelashes batted at Kiore innocently. “Yes, I have it on my PC. I think you have less than a month to hand it in?” His blue indifferent eyes settled somewhere on Kiore’s forehead.

Kiore visibly flustered at a sudden change in Trunks’ behavior. “Eh. Yeah. I’d want to get it.”

Trunks stopped eating. He seemed to think for a second then his attention came back to the apple. “No.” He took another bite.

Kiore’s eyes widened. “But I paid for it!” he snarled after a moment.

“Really?” Trunks swallowed what he had in his mouth. “What was the currency I wonder, for I don’t believe Trunks would need money?”

Kiore was clearly faltering. Probably he stopped playing all too soon, but he was curious to no end. What had his other self been doing with this guy? Clearly nothing positive.

“You don’t remember?” Kiore asked to be sure.

“Nope.” Trunks blue eyes smiled at him.

Kiore seemed to feel more at ease. “Believe me, you really don’t want to know. Let’s just…” After hearing the door open, Kiore turned around to look at the door where Goten was standing. 

“What’s that fag doing here?” Kiore was surprised. He looked at Trunks questioningly.

Goten’s dark eyes flashed at Kiore in anger. Goten seemed to be surprised to see Kiore here, too. 

Trunks smile turned unpleasant. Suddenly, he didn’t want to see Kiore or feel his presence around him anymore. Not even if that revealed why Trunks needed this scum to do something for him. He was a curious person, yes, but there was something above his curiosity.

Trunks smiled again. He slowly got up. He threw his arm around Kiore’s shoulder and tugged him close to his body. “I think he’s doing what a true friend would do – being concerned about his friend,” Trunks purred into Kiore’s ear. “And you, lowlife, are being nosy and just asking for trouble.” Trunks raised his head to smile at Kiore, the smile that made Kiore shudder. “Sweetheart, if I see you again, you’ll pray for your life.” He turned away from Kiore and went to the door, where Goten was standing. “It’s about time you leave.” He opened it.

At first Kiore stood like struck by a lightening then his eyes darkened. “You…”

Trunks smiled, his sharp canines shortly glistening. “Get the fuck out of here,” he said softly in a low voice.

Goten watched Kiore unconsciously step back away from Trunks. As Trunks was standing with his back to him, he couldn’t see the expression on Trunks’ face, but it must have been something special, for he had never seen Kiore to be afraid of anyone before.

Trunks closed the door behind Kiore. “Hey.” He turned to Goten, his eyes, instead of rage, sparkling with interest. “So how was your day?” he asked casually.

Goten shrugged. He walked over to the chair and sat down. “What did Kiore want here?”

Trunks faltered. He didn’t want to tell, but he didn’t want to lie either. “He came for the graduation dissertation Trunks had written for him.”

“Huh?” Goten blinked. He scratched his spiky head. “Well, they sometimes used to hang out together, but it’s strange that Trunks would write anything like this for him,” he wondered.

“Yeah…” Trunks nodded. “I’m very curious.” He plopped onto his bed. “Hey, wanna go for a walk? I finished reading the book you gave me yesterday. I could summarize it for you while we’d be walking.”

“Uhh…” Goten blinked.

“I’d buy some vanilla ice-cream for you.” Trunks grinned.

“No, sure I want to go. I’m just surprised you finished it so fast.” He then sighed, “Though, of course, I shouldn’t be.”

Trunks shrugged. He stood up then pulled the bed away from the wall to take his jeans, shoes and the jacket. “It was quite interesting. It appears I like history.”

Goten rolled his eyes. “You like everything. You used to read everything you could find.”

“But I don’t remember anything.” Trunks pulled his jeans on. “Only some dates that have anything to do with science. I wondered why that is, then decided it must be the time factor. Somehow, I remember what I learned while at University but have trouble with the earlier information.” He undressed his robe and took the shirt. “But… It’s very weird that I can’t remember any personal experiences.”

Goten pursed his lips in a deep thought. He watched Trunks buttoning the shirt. “You know… To tell you the truth, at first I thought that you are pretending.”

Trunks put his jacket on. “Any ideas why I would do that?” he asked, brushing over his black hair to smooth it.

“Not really,” Goten shook his head. “But sometimes he used to play nasty. I mean really nasty.” Goten frowned. “Most of the time he simply ignored everyone around him, for they weren’t in the same “league” as him. But…but sometimes there something…strange happened.” Goten shook his head, frustrated. “I don’t really know much about it, but…sometimes he did weird things.” The he waved his hands against him. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Did he hurt you?” Trunks’ voice was emotionless but his eyes turned dark blue.

Goten shook his head in denial. “Although he was always stronger physically and psychologically than me, he had never used that against me. Even after we drifted apart, he simply ignored me but never…” He fell silent, wondering why he was telling this all to this Trunks. He looked at Trunks, who was ready to go. “Don’t you have to tell someone that you are going somewhere?”

At first Trunks shook his head in denial then faltered. “Well…unless your brother. The previous time he was quite pissed off.”

“Has Bulma seen your hair yet?”

Trunks shook his head in denial again. “I think she is avoiding me. It’s probably hurting her to see someone else in her ‘baby’s’ body.”

“I think you should show more concern and understanding,” Goten said while opening the door.

“I’m trying to,” Trunks muttered. He went after Goten and closed the door behind them. “But what I’m supposed to do?” He caught up with Goten. “I don’t even know her. With you it’s easy – you didn’t expect me to be hell knows what and she…” he sighed. “I don’t actually have anything to talk about with her. I can’t talk about our family because I know nothing of it and would just hurt her further. And everything else I try talking or asking about seems to be upsetting her. It’s better to leave it like this.” 

They silently covered the corridor then turned left to the staffroom. Trunks’ shoes and Goten’s sneakers were loudly crunching on the floor.

“And how about Vegeta?” Goten broke the silence.

Trunks shrugged in answer. “I saw him several times. I think he’s simply accepted the fact. I know that he had cared for Trunks. I’m not sure how but I can tell that. But the thing is that that care…there was something wrong with it.” Trunks stopped against the door that led to the staffroom. “It seems he’s relieved that I don’t remember a damn thing.” He opened the door and stepped into the staffroom. “The same is with your brother. The two are glad I don’t remember a thing. I wonder why.”

“And you again…” Goten heard Gohan’s groan. “Where the hell are… Oh. Goten?” Gohan looked past Trunks’ shoulder at Goten.

“Yeah, I just wanted to say that we are going for a walk,” Trunks said. He turned around to go.

“Are you Trunks Briefs?” one of the several members of the staff that were in the room asked.

“It seems so.” Trunks shrugged. He looked at the dark-haired, middle-aged woman questioningly. She smelled of old paper and was wearing a wig.

“I’m Lillian Katare.” She extended her hand in greeting. Trunks faltered but shook it. He didn’t like how her skin felt against his. The woman was seriously ill. “I’m specializing in the field of amnesia. Your mother has contacted me. I was just on my way to see you.”

“Oh.” Trunks smiled apologetically. “I’m very sorry, but I’m quite busy today. I understand that you came all the way to see me, but could we arrange for some other day?”

“And what actually are you doing?” Goten pried.

“Going for a walk with you, nitwit,” Trunks chuckled, elbowing Goten in the site. He turned back to Lillian. “I hope you aren’t insulted, but my mother made the arrangement without my knowledge, and it appears my schedule is full for today. I can’t make promises and then withdraw. I’m really sorry but I hope you understand,” he apologized.

Lillian nodded. “That’s okay. Actually, I have another patient in this hospital, so this won’t be a problem.”

Trunks nodded. “I’m really sorry for that. What day would you like to choose, then?”

“Will tomorrow at eleven o’clock be okay?” Lillian asked.

“Yes, it’s perfect,” Trunks nodded. “Then, we’ll see tomorrow at eleven o’clock.” He smiled before going to the door. “Have a nice day.” 

“Your mom will kill you,” Goten whispered while following Trunks outside into the corridor.

“Yeah,” Trunks agreed. “She’ll be very upset.”

Goten followed Trunks silently downstairs. “I…” he opened his mouth.

“Hey, a promise is a promise,” Trunks nudged him into the shoulder before opening the door to the outside. He grinned. “Besides, I’d always choose your company over some old lady’s who’d torture me with questions that I have already been through.” 

Goten was silent for some time. “Did you give the dissertation to Kiore?” he asked then.

Trunks looked at Goten, concerned. “No. Why?”

“He’ll be back for it,” Goten said.

“Sure, he’ll be,” Trunks agreed. “And I’d be surprised if he came alone.”

“Why didn’t you simply give it to him?”

Trunks looked at Goten like that would have grown two heads. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. I want to know what deal Trunks had with him. If I let him go, I’d never know that!”

Goten sighed. “True. This interests me, too. But he might cause quite big trouble.”

A smirk appeared on Trunks’ face. “I’ll try keeping it down.”

Goten didn’t say anything. He studied the unpleasant smile that appeared on Trunks’ face then lowered his eyes back to the road. Sometimes Trunks scared him. Both of them.

XXXXX

Trunks sprawled on a park bench against the warm sun like a cat, sighing contently. Goten walked over to him and sat down close. Deeply inhaling the scents surrounding them, he tilted his head up. Goten exhaled, looking at the blue sky.

“I love spring.” He lowered his head again to lick on the vanilla ice-cream Trunks had bought him.

Trunks’ blue eyes slid lazily over Goten’s face with closed eyes. They shortly stopped on Goten’s pink tongue that flicked out to lick the ice-cream. Trunks’ eyes then trailed the outline of Goten’s full lips. A corner of Trunks’ mouth quirked up. 

“So, do you remember anything from the first three chapters I have been talking about?” Trunks blue eyes slid back to the trees and field against him.

Goten’s eyes opened. “Hmm…” He licked on the ice-cream, thoughtful. “Yes, I think I do.” He looked at Trunks. “Though, I have always wondered how so much of information settles in your head already after the first reading.”

Trunks shrugged. “There are many types of memory. I have a photographic memory. I have also noticed I always attach sounds, scents and other senses to it. I suppose it makes it easier to remember, too. For example, while seeing your brother - even if he’s far away - I always remember his scent and his voice timbre.”

“Hn…” Goten licked his melting ice-cream again. “I do envy you in some sense – your abilities make life much easier.”

Trunks burst out laughing. “Yeah, it would be fucking well if I finally remembered who the hell I am.”

Goten couldn’t help chuckling either, “True.” He fell silent then and licked at his ice-cream while his face turned thoughtful. “Actually…” he started unsure. “Do you really want to remember?” From his ice-cream he raised his head at Trunks. “Aren’t you afraid that after his memories return, you’ll be gone?”

Trunks leaned his head on the backrest of the bench, his black hair spreading around his face. For some time his blue eyes watched the sky above him. “I thought about this,” he said softly then. “I think it would be the best. After all, I am the one who stole his body.”

Goten stared at Trunks for several seconds then quickly leaned to catch several running drops of his melting ice-cream. After that he looked at Trunks again. “Do you feel guilty?”

Trunks frowned at the cloud that reminded him of a cat. He nodded. “Yes, I think I do.” 

Thoughtful, Goten finished his ice-cream. “I don’t think you should feel guilty,” he said after a while. “It was an accident after all. And maybe your memories and personalities would simply merge. You two aren’t so different after all,” he mused.

Trunks shrugged. “But in that case it wouldn’t be he who’d return. And the person wouldn’t be I either. It would be the third one. A new personality.”

“Well, you can’t do anything about that,” Goten sighed. “It’s useless thinking about it.”

Trunks raised his head to look at Goten’s face. “But you do think. You think about what he’d do if it were him right now instead of me. You want him back. You think what would be if it were him who woke up then in the hospital after you kissed him. And I stole that everything.”

Goten turned his head away from Trunks. He scowled at the tree against him. “I’m damn glad it was you who woke up then. He’d have…” he just shook his head, not voicing his thoughts. 

“But you do love him,” Trunks said. “And when you look at me you see him.”

Goten watched the tree then asked: “Was this the reason you dyed your hair black?”

“A part of it,” Trunks nodded. “Do y-”

Goten shook his head. “I don’t hate you.” He finally turned back to look at Trunks. “It’s… It’s complicated, but I’m sad and relieved that he’s gone. It sounds selfish, but long time ago a part of me had longed for this self-torture to stop,” he explained after Trunks’ questioning eyes looked into his. “He hated me. And I loved him. So stupid.” He rolled his eyes.

Several seconds passed while Trunks studied Goten’s face. “I think he was a fool to hate the man who loved him,” Trunks declared. He then stood up from the bench. “Want some more ice-cream?” He offered Goten a cheerful smile.

Goten shook his head in denial. He stood up too and followed Trunks while listening to him reciting chapter 4.

TBC


End file.
